Movable seat mounting



Jan. 12, 1965 c. F. CARAMELLI 3,155,289

MOVABLE SEAT MOUNTING Filed D80. ll, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l 12 1'2 30 38 36 3*! 35 47 30 u 4 CI" i 3 34 E l' I5 I A/ 4/ 2 53 I28 \33 Q01 2 40 *1 :3 22. 1 5o 57 T70 1 7l 5a 3 63 553 56 E 60 5 G is I! G 20A 27 6 79 22A 63 8 l7 |4A-g 7 0:3 64 25 I4 E G l I II 9 3 .5 1s

so EEC) 3 I mllll INVENTOR. CARL ft, CQQQMELLI BY 7 m ATTOR Jan. 12, 1965 c. F. CARAMELLl 3,165,289

MOVABLE SEAT MOUNTING Filed D250. 11, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 2 6 I00 35A 95 82 3% 9o 92 INVENTOR. CD21. -F. CAQRQMELLI ATTORNEY S United States Patent 3,165,289 MOVABLE SEAT MOUNTING Carl F. Caramelli, 905 Superba Ave, Venice, Calif. Filed Dec. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 243,775 14 Claims. (Cl. 248416) This invention has to do with stools or seats such as are installed at restaurant counters and the'like and particularly such seats as are adjustable on their support toward and away from the counter.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mounting construction for adjustable counter stool seats in which the seat is locked against movementwhen occupied and facing the counter but which may be adjusted horizontally toward or away from the counter when the seat is turned slightly.

Another object is to provide a novel automatic locking mechanism for restraining the seat against movement when it is facing a given direction, the action of which is imperceptible to the occupant. 7

Still another object is to provide a construction which automatically returns the seat to a given position when unoccupied.

A further object is to provide novel seat return means for rotating the seat to a given position when it is unoccupied.

A still further object is to provide a novel and improved seat and base plate assembly and additionally a novel one-piece plate and stem construction.

Another object is to provide a novel means for converting a conventional seat into a slidable seat which can be adjusted toward and away from the counter by the occupant and which automatically locks when facing the counter.

Still another object is to provide various novel actuating mechanisms for a brake button.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and the following description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the upper plate largely broken away and shown in section;

' FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of an alternate form of seat return means;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

' FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a modification;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on line 8--8 of FIG. 7

with parts broken away;

FIG. 9.is a sectional plan view on line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a cam collar;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8 but showing a modified form of plate arrangement;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified form of seat plate structure and locking means;

FIG. 14 is an inverted section-a1 plan view of the assembly of FIG. 13 but on a smaller scale and turned 90 clockwise;

FIG. 15 is a sectional plan view on line 1515 of FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional viewv on line 1818 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a seat plate mounting; and

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 20-20 of FIG. 19.

More particularly describing the invention, numeral 11 designates the lower portion of a cushion or seat which may be considered to be mounted upon a seat plate generally indicated by 12. Numeral 13 designates a tubular column which is mounted in or upon the floor and normally extends vertically to a desired height. Mounted in the upper end of the column is a bushing 14 which has a cylindrical bore 15 disposed centrally thereof and extending for a limited distance from the upper end of the bushing nearly to the bottom thereof. The bushing is provided with a flange 16 which fits on top of the column and with ribs 17 which form guides within the column.

The bushing is demountably secured by one or more screws 18. Also a conventional tie rod 19 screws into the bottom of the bushing.

The bushing supports a base plate 20 for limited vertical and pivotal movement. The plate has a plate-like body 21 and a depending cylindrical stem 22. The latter is rotatably and slidably received in the bore 15 of the bushing. A coil spring 24 normally serves to hold the parts in the position in which they are shown in FIG. 1. The spring extends from a resilient pad 25 into an inverted cup 26 which is received in a bore 27 in the stem. Also a bearing washer 28 is provided between the stem and cup.

The seat plate 12 is supported on base plate 20 by means of rollers 30 carried at the four corners of the body 21 and extending generally upright for rotation about horizontal axes. Lateral guide rollers 31 with vertical axes are also provided in recesses 32 in the base plate to insure smooth operation of the parts, the rollers bearing against depending side walls 33 of plate 12. The seat plate is made self-centering by means of springs 34A and 34B, these being attached, respectively, at opposite ends of the base plate to posts 34 and extending to opposite ends of the seat plate where they are attached, as best shown in FIG. 2, to end plates 12A. One of the latter is detachably mounted by screws 12B and 12C, although both may be. Resilient bumpers 21A are provided at the ends of the base plate in recesses 21B.

For the purpose of holding the seat plate against movement relative to the base plate when the seat is occupied and oriented in a given direction, as it is shown in FIG. 1, I provide a brake button 35 which includes a base or cup 36 and a rubber or plastic member 37 therein adapted to engage the undersurface 38 of the seat plate. The brake button is carried upon a cradle frame 40 and has a depending shank 41 received in a bore 42 in member 2t) to anchor it against lateral movement. The frame 40 lies in a channel 43 which extends longitudinally of the upper surface of the base plate 20. It is hinged at one end, being bifurcated to receive a mounting post 44 and pin 45. The cradle frame is apertured at 46 to loosely receive the shank 41 of the brake button and is provided with button-supporting plateaus 47 on each side thereof.

For the purpose of actuating the brake button I provide a lever 50 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 51 supported on a post 52 on the base plate. The bifurcated upper end 53 of the lever and the post are freely received in a hole 54 provided in frame 40. The lever has a depending section 55 which carries a cam follower roller 56. The lever includes a section 57 which projects laterally of the section 55. This carries an adjustment screw 58 by means of which "a button-headed pin 59 is raised to .the correct height.

73 which projects into the recess.

will serve to limit rotation of the seat.

The latter bears against the undersurface of the end of frame 40 which is supported theeron. With the construction described, counterclock- -wise pivotal movement of the lever, as viewed inFIG. 1,

serves to raise frame 40 and cause the brake button'35 to firmly engagethe undersurface 38 of -seat plate 12.

The adjustment screw servesas a means for compensating for wear of thebrake button. 7

For the purpose of operating lever 50 the bushing may be formed with a cam to be engaged by the lever, however I prefer to provide such a cam on a special collar cial screw 65 extending through an arcuate slot 66 in the collar and threadedly through the bushing.

When a'weight is applied to the seat, as by someone occupying it, ;the entire seat assembly of the two plates 12 and 20 (and stem 22) moves downwardly so that the roller 55 at the lowerend of lever 50 is at thelevel of the cam faces 62 and 64. Assuming the seat is oriented, as

shown in FIG. 1, the brake button 35 would be applied forcibly against the undersurface 38 of the plate 12 by ithe lever riding onthe high'point 64 of the cam.

If the seat is rotated sufficiently, the lever will ride off the high point of the cam under the influence of gravity on the parts and movement of the lever will be limited :by the camfollower riding on the peripheral surface of the collar 60. In suchposition the seat plate is freed and the occupant can move it forward or backward to a desired position. Then when the seat is again turned to the position of FIG. 1 the roller will ride onto the high surface 63 of the cam and set the brake button. Preferably the undersurface 38. of the seat plate is waved 'slightly in the path of the brake button, as shown, to

give added holding power to the brake button and to eliminate any noise resulting from slippage underhard or improper handling.

In order to provide forautomatic return of the seat from a pivoted position I provide a cam means 70 which includes a re'cess 71 in the side of the stem 22. The recess includes two lower cam surfaces 72 which rise helically in opposite directions. Screw 65, which is mounted-in the bushing,'has an unthreaded inner end portion When the seat is unoccupied, this endportion is in the position shown in the drawing, namely, at the bottom of the recess, and thus also serves to limit upward movement of the stem. It will be apparent that if the seat is turned when unoccupied, the stem is depressed by the interaction of the end of the screw 65 and one of the cam surfaces 72, compressing spring 24. Then if the seat'is released, it will return to normalposition through the interaction of the spring and cam means. When the seat is occupied,

the stem is. depressed so that screw is above the low we point between cam, surfaces 72- If the seat is then turned, the pin end of screw 65 will strike one of the cam surfaces 72 near the upper end of such surface, and this The action will be smooth as the stem will move downward slightly against the cushion 25 before the pivotal movementstops.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, I show a modified seat return means. This comprises an opening in the upper portion 75 of the bushing 14A which is generally wherein the base plate .-is formed of sheet metal and mounted on the stem and thus it may be used either as shown in FIGS. 7-10 or, with slight modifications, inverted as shown in FIGS. '11 and 12. In this form of the invention the stem, designated 80, is cylindrical and provided with an adapter flange 81 at its upperend which may be welded to it. The base plate, designated82, is attached to the adapter flange either by welding, riveting or by screws 83 shown. The stem is received in a bushing 84 mounted in the upper end ofthe column or standard 13. Beneath the stem is a spring 24A and and these rollers are .mounted'on suitable supports 94' located on the main portion of the base plate just inwardly of rollers 86. The guide rollers operate against depending side walls 88 of the seat plate. V

In this form of the invention thebrake button'35A is carried on a cradle frame 95 which lies on the base plate. It. includes end members 96 and 97-: and side members 98. The brake button 35A is carried on a cross I pin 99 between the side members. A 'setscrew 100 serves to elevate one end of the frame as may be. required to obtain maximum wear. V j V For the purpose of operating the brakev button I provide a cam assembly 106 and an actuating member 107. The cam assembly includes a collar 108 which has a radially extending cam section 199. The collar is cylindrical and detachably fits about the upper portion of the bushing, being held in place by the screw 65A of the seat pivotal return means and whichiextends through a circumferential slot 110 in the collar. 7 V

Member 107, which is mounted for vertical movement in a fitting 112 provided on the base plate, includes a roller 113 carried by a collar 114 which is adjustable longitudinally of body 115,. being provided with a setscrew 116 to anchor-it in position. The roller is positioned 'to engage the cam 109 when the seat is depressed and properly'oriented. End member 97 of frame 95 rests ,on the upper end 117 of the actuating member. Essentially the operation of the device isthe same. as the. operation'of the mechanism shown in FIGS..14. Thus it is only when the 'seat mechanism is properly oriented and occupied that the actuating member will be moved to operate the brake button to lock or hold the seat plate against movement relative to the base. plate.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, I may also invert the base plate and this is sometimes desirable to reduce the over-allheight of the assembly. When this is done a seat plate 120 is used and this is characterized by a main plate portion 121, depending side walls 122 and inwardly extending flanges 12 3. For this modification the base plate, designated 82A, is provided with guide rollers 125 which are-mounted on brackets 126 detachably secured to the main body of the plate by screws 127 through slots 128. 'Also the side walls 85A of the b ase plate are triangular, having a horizontal lower surface 76 and a provided with openings 129 for the'rollers.

Referring now to FIGS. 13-16, I show mechanism for converting conventional pivotally mounted seats into seats which may be adjustably positioned by moving them toward and away fromthe counten. Numeral 130 designates a standard column which is mountedon the floor and extends upright therefrom. This contains 'a seat return mechanism 131 of a conventional type wherein a combination ofspring and camv means is provided for returning the seat pivotally to a given position when it is unoccupied, and wherein the seat does notlrise upon supports a seat plate 138 having a main portion'139 and depending side walls 140 with inwardly extending flanges 141. The rollers run against a track means which in- "cludes a runner strip '143 and a backing strip 144 of asbestos or other sound deadening and cushioning material.

The conversion includes providing a collar 145 on the upper end of the column 130 andsecuring this by means of setscrews 146. The collar has a cam 147 thereon which includes side faces 148 and a high point or surface 149 of limited height. Above surface 149 I provide a sloping upper surface 150.

The base plate is provided with a housing 152 having a slot 153 in which is pivotally mounted a lever 154. The latter carries a cam follower roller 155 adapted to contact the cam portion of the collar. This roller'normally is in the position in which it is shown in FIG. 13, but when the seat is occupied, the roller is at the level of the surface 149 of the cam. Lever 154 is received in a slot 158 of a vertically movable cylindrical brake button 160 received in a bore 161 in the housing 152. The button includes a resilient disk 162 adapted to engage the undersurface of the seat plate 138 when the the operation of this mechanism is generally similar to the mechanisms previously described. The adjustment screw 163 is used to compensate for wear.

Referring now to FIGS. 17 and 18, I show a modification wherein the spider or mounting tripod, here designated 132A, is so formed that one arm 164 thereof is made to serve as the housing for the brake button and operating lever. Thus the arm has a housing section 105 with a bore 166 to receive the brake plug 160 and a .slot 167 to mount the lever 154.

Referring now to FIGS. 19 and 20, I show a seat plate and base plate assembly wherein the base plate, designated 170, is shown as a casting provided with grooves 171 and 172 in its upper and lower surfaces at its lateral margins to receive ball bearings 173 which are retained by a keeper 174. The latter has a channel-shaped body 176 with holes 177 to receive the individual balls, and has fingers 178 to limit inward movement thereof. The seat plate is formed with a main plate portion 180 and channel-shaped side section 182. The latter are provided with grooves 183 to receive the balls. In order tolimit travel of the parts a pin 184 is provided at each end in the seat plate channels, and this may be covered with a bumper 185 of resilient material.

The construction of FIGS. 19 and 20 provides a smoothly operating assembly since the base plate and seat plate are held in very close alignment even when the seat plate is fully extended, and thus there is no tendency for the seat plate to tilt.

Although I have illustrated and described preferred forms of my invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the following claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a seat mounting adapted to be mounted on an upright tubular support, a bushing mounted in the upper end portion of said support, a base plate, a stem depending from the base plate and received in said bushing for limited movement axially and rotatively, a seat plate above said base plate and supported thereon for movement relative thereto reciprocally in a horizontal plane,

6 a brake button carried'by said base plate, means prevent ing horizontal displacement of said brake button relative to said base plate, an actuating lever carried by said base plate, cam means on one of said bushing and said support engageable by said lever to pivot the same, and an operative connection between said brake button and said lever whereby said lever, when pivoted by the cam means, is effective to raise said brake button into firm engagement with said seat plate.

2. The seat mounting set forth in claim 1 in which said base plate and said stem comprise a unitary metal casting.

3. In a seat mounting supported on a tubular column I and including a bushing in the column, a base plate with a stem received in the bushing for limited vertical and rotative movement, and a seat plate mounted on the base plate for limited horizontal reciprocal movement relative thereto, means for locking said seat plate against movement relative to the base plate when said plates are depressed as by an occupant, comprising a cradle frame on the base plate, a brake button carried by said cradle frame and projecting upwardly toward said seat plate, an actuating member carried by said base plate and movable with respect thereto, and upwardly against said cradle frame, a cam member on one of said bushing and column engag'eable by said actuating member in a given position of said base plate effective to operate said member and raise said button.

4. The means set forth in claim 3 in which said cradle frame is pivotally mounted at one end on said base plate and free at the other end, in which said other end is engaged by said actuating member, and in which said brake button is carried between the ends of said frame.

5. The means set forth in claim 3 in which said actuating member comprises a lever pivotally mounted at one end on said base plate, the other end of said lever being engageable with said cam, said lever having a laterally projecting portion under a portion of said cradle frame.

6. In a seat mounting adapted to be supported on an upright column, a bushing provided in the upper end of the column, a base plate having a depending stem received in said bushing for limited vertical movement and for rotation about a vertical axis, a seat plate supported on said base plate for limited movement in a horizontal plane, a cradle frame on said base plate, a brake button carried by said cradle frame above said stem, said stem having a shank, said base plate having a vertical bore receiving said stem for axial movement, an actuating member carried by said base frame and movable to raise said cradle frame and cause the brake button to engage said seat plate and prevent movement thereof relative to said base plate, and means carried by said column engageable with said actuating member to operate the same in a given position of said base plate relative to said column.

7. In a seat mounting adapted to be supported on an upright tubular support, a bushing mounted in the upper end portion of said support, a base plate with a stem received in the bushing, spring means between said stem and said bushing yieldably urging said stem upwardly, cam faces formed on said stem and extending helically upward in opposite directions from a low point of convergence, and a cam follower pin mounted in said bushing and projecting radially into position for engagement with said cam faces, said pin normally being positioned at said low point in the absence of a force depressing said base plate and in the absence of a force holding the base plate and stem turned.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 in which said stem is solid in the region of said cam faces and said cam faces form the lower walls of a recess provided in the side of said stem.

9. The construction set forth in claim 7 in which said stem is tubular and is provided with an opening in its opening define said cam faces. r a

10. In a seat mounting adapted to be mounted on an upright support, a tubular bushing mounted in the upper, end portion of said support, a seat assembly having a stem received in said bushing for rotation and axial movement relative thereto, said bus-hing having an opening in the wall thereof characterized by a pair of downwardly facing upper cam surfaces extending helically downward in opposite vdirections from a region of convergence, a

cam follower mounted in said stern and projecting radially intosaid opening for engagement with said cam surfaces, and spring means in said bushing yieldably urging said stem upwardly. I

11. In a seat mounting supported on a tubular column and including a bushing in the column, a base plate hav ing a stem received in the bushing for limited vertical and rotative movement, and a seat plate mounted on the base plate for limited horizontal reciprocal movement relative thereto, means for locking said seat plate against movement relative to the base plate when said plates are depressed as by an occupant, comprising a cradle frame on said base plate, a brake 'button carried by said frame and projecting upwardly toward said seat plate, an actuatingmember carried by said base plate and movable vertically with respect thereto, said member being beneath a portion of said cradle frame, and a collar carried by said bushing and having a raised cam portion engageable by said actuating member in a given position of said base plate and eifective to raise said actuating member.

12. In a seat mounting adapted to be supported on a tubular column, a base plate having a stem supported in the column for limited rotative movement, a roller mounted at each of the four corners of said base plate rotatable about horizontal axes, guide rollers mounted on said base plate at each side for rotation about vertical axes, and a seat plate above said base plate supported on said firstmentioned rollers, said seat plate having laterally spaced side walls engaged by said guide rollers, said base plate having a main plate portion and upright marginal flanges at each side thereof supporting said first-mentioned rollers, and in which said guide rollers are mounted upon said main portion and project through openings provided in said flanges, said collar being detachably mounted upon *said bushing and adjustable circumferentially relative to said bushing. v

. 13. In a seat mounting supported on a tubular column including a seat plate mounted on a base plate for hori- 'zontal reciprocal movement relative thereto and including a stem on the base plate extending into said column and means therein for rotatively returning the seat to a given position, means for releasably locking the seat plate against movement relative to the base plate when the assembly is in a given rotative direction comprising a housing mounted on said base plate, a brake, :button mounted in said housingvfor vertical movement into en-' gagement with the underside of said seat plate, a lever carried by said housing and pivotally mounted thereon, said lever having a portion beneath and engageable with said brake button, a cam ring secured to said column and having, a cam portionat a given region thereon, and a cam follower carried by saidlever and engageable with said camportion of said ring in said given position of said assembly.

14. In a seat mounting, a supporting column, a stem projecting fromthe column and movable vertically and rotatively therein, a spider carried at the upper end of the stem and including radial arms, one of said arms being formed to provide abrake button housing, a base said lever and engageable with said cam portion of said ring in said given position of said assembly.

References Cited in the file. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,272 Caramelli 1",. July 14, 1953 2,673,592 Caramelli Mar. 30, 1954 2,691,407 Kupski' Oct. 12, 1954 3,063,714 7 V Krauss Nov. .13, 19 62 

1. IN A SEAT MOUNTING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON AN UPRIGHT TUBULAR SUPPORT, A BUSHING MOUNTED IN THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE SAID SUPPORT, A BASE PLATE, A STEM DEPENDING FROM THE BASE PLATE AND RECEIVED IN SAID BUSHING FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT AXIALLY AND ROTATAIVELY, A SEAT PLATE ABOVE SAID BASE PLATE AND SUPPORTED THEREON FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO RECIPROCALLY IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, A BRAKE BUTTON CARRIED BY SAID BASE PLATE, MEANS PREVENTING HORIZONTAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID BRAKE BUTTON RELATIVE TO SAID BASE PLATE, AN ACTUATING LEVER CARRIED BY SAID BASE PLATE, CAM MEANS ON ONE OF SAID BUSHING AND SAID SUPPORT ENGAGEABLE BY SAID LEVER TO PIVOT THE SAME SUPOPERATIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID BRAKE BUTTON AND SAID LEVER WHEREBY SAID LEVER, WHEN PIVOTED BY THE CAM MEANS, IS EFFECTIVE TO RAISE SAID BRAKE BUTTON INTO FIRM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEAT PLATE. 